{Later That Night}
Dr. Everett was taken to the hospital. The only casualty from the accident was his wife Carley. You felt bad for Lee, who's life's work ultimately led to her death.
You are in your apartment. Your suit is really messed up, damaged more than it ever was. You think of your past fights with villains, and the closest you can compare was when you fought the Green Goblin years ago. Even then you still were able to fix your suit up, but Doc's tritium experiment earlier today scorched it.
You look through your notebook and skim over blueprints and ideas you've jotted down before. Some included gadgets and suit prototypes.
There is one page that included a suit idea that you figured was cool. You have the materials right now to craft it, so why not? It might deviate a bit from your original costume design, but it still has the Spider-Man look.
You put your book down, and begin working.
• •
You run across the rooftop and leap off the edge, doing a backflip.
THWIP!
You swing towards the side of a building and run alongside it, leaping off when you near the end of the wall. You zip down the street.
A/N: Advanced suit. That's chills.
You keep on swinging, and get a notification indicating you have a voicemail. You listen to it.
Michonne: Hey, a silent alarm at the auction house holding Fisk's estate sale just tripped. Could you check it out? Quietly? I don't want to make a scene if it's nothing.
The captain's voicemail ends. You speak to yourself.
You: Philip's estate sale? That's fun. Wonder what he had hidden in his closets.
You keep on swinging, and make your way to the auction house.
• •
Upon entering through a skylight, you see men with rifles holding an employee hostage. You notice they're wearing some clay Chinese demon masks.
One Demon grabs the employee and takes her down a corridor. You follow them from the air vents. You call Michonne.
You: Captain, you were right. There's masked gunmen and a hostage. Looks like a heist in-progress.
Michonne: Sending units your way. Try to keep the situation from getting worse.
You: Copy that.
You hang up, and exit the vents.
You climb along the ceiling, and see a Demon below you. You silently take him down, webbing him up and pulling him to the ceiling. You drop down, and make your way down a hallway where you see another Demon with his back turned.
You go up to him, and put him in a chokehold. You take him down, and web him to the floor. You leap up onto the ceiling again and enter through another vent, entering a storage room. You see two Demons speaking with one another.
Demon 1: You think she actually knows where the files are?
Demon 2: She has too. If not, it's not going to end well.
You distract the first Demon by shooting a web at a nearby cart. He raises his rifle and looks over at it, then slowly walks towards it. The second Demon starts looking around, but you quickly drop down on top of him and knock him out.
The first Demon quickly turns back, but you're already in front of him when he does. You use a taekwondo move and grapple him, bringing him down to the floor. You web him to the ground.
The two Demons are down. You are about to leave the room, but you see something the catches your eye. A camera with a Spider-Man lanyard is hanging on a wall and you grab it. It looks very familiar, and you know who's it could be.
You: This totally belongs to—
You're interrupted by a third Demon coming in and holding his rifle at your back.
Demon 3: Don't move!
You slowly put your hands up and scoff. You turn around, thinking of how you're going to kick his ass.
You: Buddy...if I had a nickel for every "don't move"...
The Demon puts his finger on the trigger, but gets knocked out by a candleholder. He falls to the floor, and you see his attacker behind him.
It's Clementine. She smiles.
Clementine: Hey, Y/N.
You're surprised to see her, and barley get a word out.
You: Clem? What are you doing here?
Clementine: What you're doing now. Working. Or...at least I was before these guys came in.
You nod, and then notice her camera in your hands.
You: Oh...uh...I think this is yours.
Clementine: Yeah. Thanks.
She takes it.
You: So...the Times has you covering a break-in?
Clementine: Well, they don't exactly know I'm here...and it wasn't break-in until a few minutes ago.
You: Huh?
Clementine: Let me explain...
Clementine details how she came to the auction house to try and get information on Kingpin's money laundering. She stumbled upon a room containing files of something Philip Fisk and the late Norman Osborn discussed in the early 2000s. It's called Devil's Breath.
Clementine has the files with her, and narrowly escaped the Demons who had broken in soon after getting the files.
Clementine: I was on my way to the exit when I stumbled upon you.
You: You're lucky to be alive.
Clementine rolls her eyes.
Clementine: Says the guy I just saved a couple minutes ago.
She takes the files from her bag and looks at them.
Clementine: Look, whoever these masked guys are, they're after this file. But, I'll never get it out of here while this place is swarming with them.
You: Yeah, right. Uh...you hide back there while I take out the bad guys. You can make a break for it when it's clear.
Clementine: Sounds like a plan.
She starts making her way to another room, but looks back.
Clementine: Good to see you, Y/N. Nice new costume, by the way.
You: Yeah...you too.
She nods, and leaves the room. You shake your head at your last words.
You: "You too"...what the hell?
You leap up to another vent, and go through it into the other room.
• •
You take down the Demons in one of the exhibit rooms. You're about to tell Clementine via your Bluetooth that she could leave, but you hear her yell in the other room.
You crash through the door, and see Clementine on the floor. Demons are holding her and the other employee at gunpoint.
You: No!
You shoot two webs at each gun and pull them away. One Demon grabs the file and runs away, leaving the other Demons to handle you.
You: Run!
Clementine and the other employee leave the area, and you face the Demons.
You: Not cool with the hostage taking, guys!
You begin fighting them. One Demon swings, but you counter and grabs his arm. You throw him into another Demon and they crash into a display case.
Another Demon balls his fists and it begins glowing. He charges up his negative energy. You continue fighting them as you speak.
You: Woah! What's up with that glow-y stuff on your hands? Are you guys...ghosts?
You kick one Demon away and leap over another one who's charging at you.
You: I've never fought a ghost before. Can you guys go through walls like Danny Phantom?
They don't respond to your banter. They speak in Chinese to each other.
You: I don't think you guys have seen that show...
You uppercut a Demon and knock him out. Suddenly, another Demon barges in holding a scythe. It glows as well, and he slams it down on the floor causing wave of energy to shoot towards you. You backflip out of the way.
You: Okay, now that was cool!
You shoot an impact web at the Demon, engulfing him in webbing. You zip towards him and kick him in the face. Three more Demons come in, but you shoot electric webs at them. You then shoot a web bomb near them while they're incapacitated, webbing them to the wall.
You look around and take a breath. The Demon heist has been taken care of.
You: Now that was a workout...
You go up to one unconscious Demons and take their mask off. You hold the mask and observe it.
You: Looks antique. I think Vince can help me track down where this is from.
Vince Li has a degree in art history. You figure he can help.
You hear police sirens outside the auction house. You leave the room and start making your way out.
• •
You messaged Clementine to make sure she was okay, which she was. She told you about the Demons taking the file, and you kind of felt bad. You asked if she wanted to eat dinner at Rhee's Pizzeria.
You thought for a second if that would be weird since you two haven't been together in six months, but she accepted the offer anyway.
The two of you sit in the restaurant, eating a pizza at a booth.
Clementine: The pizzeria looks so nice. Did they get it renovated?
You: Maggie has expanded the franchise. She used the extra money to upgrade the original.
Clementine: Seeing this would've made Glenn so happy.
You nod. It would've.
You: So, how's everything at the New York Times?
Clementine: Mm well, the chief editor just sent me an all caps text about what happened tonight. So I guess it's another meeting with the legal team.
You: Nah, as soon as they read the article you're gonna write, guaranteed promotion.
Clementine: So, these creepy mask guys. What's your angle?
You: Just another day in NYC. What's yours?
Clementine: There must be something bigger going on here...
You continue listen, but she changes the subject.
Clementine: Let's get off the topic of business. How's it going with you?
You: You know...things are going okay at the Bugle. I'm trying to find something do with my degree.
Clementine: Why hasn't Louis offered you a job at Oscorp? They'd love you there.
You shake your head.
You: No. I wouldn't want any handouts. Besides, I'd rather not have my best friend as my boss.
Clementine: Hey, what about Stark Industries? You can work up in Midtown.
You shrug.
You: Maybe I can meet Tony Stark...if he ever moves here from California.
Clementine nods, and fiddles with her fingers amongst the silence.
Clementine: Why did you ask me here, Y/N?
You: You know, just dinner between friends.
Clementine: Friends? Is that what we are?
You swallow.
You: I mean we could be. If that's what you wanted.
Clementine chuckles.
Clementine: There's a lot of baggage here...
You: Yeah sure but, is that so bad? I mean baggage can carry good things too. Like money and uh, keys, and some tic tacs.
Clementine leans on the table.
Clementine: Do you remember why we split up?
You stare at her trying to think of a response.
You: This is a trick question, isn't it?
Clementine is about to reply, but cop cars speed down the road outside with their lights on.
Clementine: Saved by the siren.
You sigh.
You: Talk to you later?
Clementine nods.
Clementine: Go.
You get up from the booth and run out of the restaurant. Clementine laughs silently to herself as she looks out the window.